United States Embassy and Minsk Regional Pushkin Library Hold Exhibit

September 10, 2009

“Jam Session: America’s Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World”

The United States Embassy in Belarus is proud to present the exhibit “Jam Session: America’s Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World” held at and with the cooperation of the Minsk Regional Library named after Pushkin. The exhibit will be open to the public on September 15 through 25, 2009.

This exceptional collection of photographs and documents chronicles the tours of American jazz legends as they traveled the globe on behalf of the U.S. State Department. From the mid-1950s through the 1970s, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and others served as cultural diplomats, making friends for our country beyond the walls of political, economic and cultural separation, including in Belarus and other republics of the former Soviet Union.

The exhibition includes 55 frames containing images and documents of musicians visiting 30 countries in four continents – each providing a unique insight into this successful diplomatic initiative. Millions of people experienced these concerts and thrilled to the many styles and variations of the remarkable American art form called jazz music.

The following events open to the public will be held at the Minsk Regional Library named after Pushkin located in Minsk, ul. Gikalo 4:

• September 15, 18:00 -- E-Jazz Navigator – an overview of jazz-related web resources
• September 16, 18:00 -- Legends of Jazz – screening of documentary from the Pushkin Library collection
• September 17, 19:00 -- Great Evenings of Jazz – live jazz performance
• September 21, 18:00 -- My Jazz – U.S. Embassy speaker program
• September 22, 18:00 -- Jazz Education Hour – presentation on the history of American jazz
• September 23, 16:00 -- City Treasury of Jazz – overview of jazz resources in Minsk libraries
• September 25, 17:00 -- Jazz Vocal Slam Competition 

The exhibit will be open to the public on Monday-Friday and Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00. For more information please call 8 0172 293-6924.